The Deep End
by KxCrystalAngelxA
Summary: An exploration of the USJ event, as seen through the eyes of my OC, Midoriko. As a group of bloodthirsty villains move to separate the students of Class 1A, Midoriko decides to take matters into her own hands, knowing this may be her one chance to protect someone. -Disclaimer: My Hero Academia does not belong to me, and neither do the characters. (minus my OC) SPOILER WARNING-
1. The Deep End - Part 1

**"Don't move!"** Snapped Aizawa, their slightly eccentric homeroom teacher. Fixing his glaringly awful goggles into place and eyeing the approaching mob warily, the tension in his body almost palpable. "Those are villains."

Involuntarily, Midoriko almost stepped towards him, checking herself at the last moment. Focusing instead on the dark cloud massing before class 1-A, villains striding confidently from it's dark maw, assured of their easy victory. _Like hell,_ she thought, bristling with righteous indignation as more and more figures poured forth into the USJ training grounds. Their malice beckoning to the darkness inside of her, recognizing a kindred spirit.

The nervous chatter of Midoriko's classmates broke though her uneasiness, distracting her just in time. _I can't let my guard down,_ she knew, refusing to be scorned as Midoriya was for having an uncontrollable quirk. She'd worked too damn hard for it all to have been for nothing. _I have to stay in control._

"Thirteen," Aizawa ordered, talking over the rest of class 1-A, "start the evacuation. Try calling the school." His words were clipped and curt, but Midoriko was sure she heard genuine concern in his voice. Numbly, she wondered just how much danger she and her friends were in. Only two teachers, Thirteen and Mr Aizawa, were present, and Midoriko privately wondered at the usefulness of some of her classmates.

She could only watch in mute horror as Aizawa began directing Thirteen and the students to safety, herself included. Striding forward with an authority she didn't know he possessed, shoulders set firmly, booking no argument. "Stupid," Midoriko muttered softly, too softly for anyone, let alone him, to hear. Wasn't it obvious that she was going to argue? Aizawa, of all people, should know that she didn't play by the rules.

"What about you, Sir?" Midoriya piped up, taking the unspoken words right out of her mouth. "Will you fight by yourself?" His green eyes glistened fervently, clearly distressed by the prospect of their teacher fighting alone.

Midoriko narrowed her own eyes, practically spitting contempt as Midoriya reeled off all the reasons why Eraserhead was wrong for this fight. Reminding her of all of the things she should have already thought of. "Izuku's right." She finally said, forcing her voice to remain calm, dispassionate, cold even. "There are too many for one pers -"

"You can't be a hero with just one trick." Aizawa intoned, cutting her protest short without even a backward glance. "I'm leaving it to you, Thirteen." Just like that, he was gone. Leaping from the platform, headfirst into a mob of villains. Leaving her behind... Again. His scarf-weapon billowed around him, plowing into the villains, and immobilizing them in quick succession. Dark clothes a mere blur as he weaved, with surprising grace, through his opponents.

 _He's good,_ Midoriko admitted to herself, trying to quell the surge of pride she felt as Aizawa darted between villains twice his size, sending them reeling.

"Come on Midi," Ashido said, pulling her away, towards where the rest of class 1-A were retreating. "Let's hurry." Following her friends direction, Midoriko saw Lida, their class rep, yelling at Midoriya, and knew she'd be next if she didn't get a move on. _Aizawa's fine,_ she told herself firmly, casting a rueful gaze in his direction before allowing her friend to lead her away. "Do you think Mr Aizawa will be okay?" Ashido asked breathlessly, her usually cheerful demeanor fraught with concern.

Despite her misgivings, Midoriko squeezed her friend's pink shoulder reassuringly. "We'll all be okay." She smiled, forcing her own worries down, deep into the bit of her stomach where they churned sickeningly. "This is what we've been training for after all."

As if to prove her wrong, a dark shadow emerged from the ground before them, stopping class 1-A in their tracks. Flickering above them as it began to solidify, taking on a large, humanoid shape, and blocking their exit. "I won't let you." The shadowed mass spoke seriously, eyes gleaming like hot coal.

Midoriko drew back sharply, cursing under her breath as the writhing mass of darkness began addressing her fellow classmates. Annoyed, she risked a backwards glance, hoping for some glimpse of Aizawa; but he was already out of sight. Still fighting the villains, buying them time. "Well, that is neither here nor there." The dark figure intoned listlessly, spreading what Midoriko assumed were his arms, and drawing himself up to full height. "This is the part I am to play."

Midoriko gasped, realizing she'd been a fool to underestimate this man's power. Shadow or no, she could feel the tension in the air as he moved to strike, like a snake tormenting its prey.

A rapid burst of movement caught her eye, followed instantly by a faint waft of air upon her cheek as both Kirishima and Bakugo propelled themselves towards the shadow, fists flying recklessly. _Idiots!_ Midoriko thought, throwing herself to the ground as the pair stampeded past, sparks already igniting the air as Bakugo used his explosive quirk. The ground erupted around her as explosions shattered the air, echoing painfully throughout the USJ, causing black plumes of smoke to choke the class.

Disjointed voices sounded around her, impossible to pinpoint with the dense smoke making her eyes stream. Blearily, Midoriko tried to focus on what was directly in front of her, hearing Thirteen cry out for her classmates to move. _Where?_ She wondered, reaching around for Ashido who had been right beside her, and snagging empty air.

"Midi!" She heard her friend call as, within the smoke, something viciously began tearing her away from the rest of the class, forcing Midoriko backwards. She struggled futility, feeling her body being pulled further and further into the darkness. _Damn you,_ she thought vengefully, raising her hands to protect her face from the onslaught. Her legs splayed uselessly beneath her, the floor seemingly disappearing as she kicked aimlessly, grasping for purchase.

A dark rage flooded her, and Midoriko fought to quell it. _Don't be used by your quirk,_ she commanded herself. Use it. Feeling the tension, the anger, the hatred, humming through her blood, Midoriko crouched. The roaring in her ears grew louder, and her face began to morph, bones cracking as her quirk took hold. _There!_ She thought, uncurling her body with inhuman speed. Propelling herself from the shadow's icy power, and crashing bodily into Lida as they both tumbled painfully from the thick cloud of mist. "Sorry!" She gasped, wincing. "That was too close."

"Are you okay?" Lida asked, allowing Midoriko to clutch unsteadily at his hero costume as the mist, along with most of her classmates, disappeared.

"I'm fine," she said, regaining composure, and allowing Lidia to help her to her feet. "Thanks." Looking round, Midoriko saw that only a handful of her classmates, along with Thirteen, remained. There was no sign of Kirishima or Bakugo. _What now?_ She wondered, focusing solely on the threat before her. The enemy. Ignoring the others, Midoriko stepped forward, drawing up alongside Thirteen, her fists clenched. She wouldn't be caught out again.

"Class rep!" Thirteen said, turning to look back at Lida, ignoring his protests. "I entrust this duty to you. Run to the school and tell about what it happening here." _Good,_ Midoriko thought, as their teacher continued to explain the dire situation they were in. _Once we have someone on the outside, we can prioritize our friends...and Aizawa._

"Lida," she said, adding her own voice to her friend's encouragements. "Believe in us. You're our class rep, and we chose you because you're the best. So, let's kick some ass!" She grinned savagely, punching the air. Seeing, to her relief, that everyone's words had the intended effect. Lida braced, eyes narrowing in determination as he powered up his quirk. The engines on his calves surging into life as, together, class 1-A naively turned to face their opponent.


	2. The Deep End - Part 2

"Even if you have no other choice," the shadowed figure taunted, assailing the class with smoky tendrils of darkness, "are there really idiots who talk about their plans **in front of the enemy?!"**

As the last, defiant word was uttered, a frigid wall of blackness slammed into Midoriko, chilling her instantly. The dense gloom was cloying, like a heavy mist settling unnaturally on her skin, prickling faintly. "Lida," she whispered through the murky air, willing her voice to carry, "now's your chance."

"We did it because it doesn't matter if we're found out!" Thirteen's tinny voice rang out imperiously, followed by the swift appearance of an intense gale. Midoriko's baggy, red jumpsuit billowed around her as a black hole materialized within the shadowed fog, sucking in everything within it's path, and dissipating the unnatural mist. _Thirteen's quirk,_ she marveled, watching her teacher deal effortlessly with the villain. _I guess that's the difference between pro heros and us._

Slowly, the mist receded, and for a moment, a mere second, it really was that easy.

Certain of Thirteen's victory, Midoriko half turned, already planning ahead to Lida's escape. Allowing her mind to drift effortlessly back to Aizawa, desperately wanting to prove herself to the stoic homeroom teacher. It pained Midoriko to admit, even to herself, how much she craved his approval.

A low, sick chuckle sounded grimly above the raging wind, jolting Midoriko from her musing, and making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Inwardly, she kicked herself. Furious that she'd fallen for the same trick twice. _Underestimating an opponent can get you killed,_ Aizawa had told her once; back when he still acknowledged her existence.

 _Don't go there,_ Midoriko told herself sternly, pushing such thoughts aside, and spinning to face her adversary. Turning in time to see the shadow materialize behind her teacher, recoiling Thirteen's 'black hole' quirk against it's user.

"Teacher!" Ashido cried. Watching, along with the rest of them, as Thirteen was ripped apart, white space-suit crumbling beneath the pressure of the vortex. Turning to dust as Midoriko watched, horrified, while her teacher fell, face down, onto the ground at her feet.

"Lida! Move!" She practically screamed, feeling the bones in her hands begin to crack as her quirk manifested. Razor-sharp claws tore through the bed of her nails, grotesquely transforming her hands into lethal weapons. Now, more desperately than ever, Midoriko knew she needed total control.

She breathed slowly, forcibly holding her quirk in check as, beside her, Lida finally heeded the shouts of his classmates. Speeding off towards the USJ's exit, his engines roaring powerfully. _Finally!_ Midoriko thought, watching the molten eyes of her opponent narrow as they followed her blue-haired classmate towards the door.

This time, when the shadowed figure appeared before Lida, she was ready. Growling deep in her throat, Midoriko sprung into action, lacing her claws through the mist just as Shoji tackled the villain, wrapping his tentacles around the shadowed form. Allowing the class rep to race ahead as, together, the two students brought the villain down.

Writhing tendrils of dark mist snaked trough Shoji's grip, causing Midoriko to back off, readying herself for the next assault. Her eyes shifted, pupils dilating as she watched the shadow cautiously. _Any second..._ She thought, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet.

There! In an almost imperceptible movement, the dark mass broke free, sending Shoji sprawling across the ground. Snarling, Midoriko flew through the air, claws snagging in the dense mist as she landed heavily on the villain. Rolling aside easily, and distracting him just long enough for Uraraka to jump into action, using her anti-gravity quirk to send the shadow flying.

Caught off, the villain spun through the air, placed briefly at the mercy of her classmates. It wouldn't last, but Midoriko enjoyed her fleeting sense of victory all the same.

Breathing heavily, she risked a quick backward glance, repressing a cheer as she saw Lida slip through the door. _Yes!_ She celebrated inwardly, feeling an immense surge of pride towards her classmates. Her friends.

Noticing the escaped student, the shadowed villain narrowed his glowing eyes, melting into nothing as he disappeared before the triumphant class. Allowing them their victory. Midoriko guessed that, to him, it was a small, insignificant matter. The villains hadn't come for the students after all, they had bigger fish to fry.

"Midi," Ashido called, jolting Midoriko from her pensive thoughts, gesturing to the barley conscious Thirteen. "What shall we do?"

Midoriko didn't answer, her elation withering under their circumstances. The shadow may be gone, but so were over half the class, as well as Aizawa. "Midi?" Her friend tried again, glancing up tearfully as Midoriko turned back towards the USJ training area, to Aizawa. "Sorry Mina," she replied calmly. "I'm going back."

Ignoring the muttered protests of her classmates, and Thirteen's pitiful demands, Midoriko took off at a dead sprint. Pale, blue scales covered her hands, embedding themselves into her arms as she allowed her quirk take over. Propelling herself down the steps towards the USJ training grounds, all the while wishing she'd been allowed to carry her set of knives.

Panting, Midoriko hurtled round the corner, skidding to a halt, and coming face to face with a haunting spectacle: Aizawa, both arms clearly broken, lay face down in the dirt. Pinned to the earth by a behemoth of a creature, his blood seeping steadily across the ground.

Standing before them, face hidden by a creepy, disembodied hand, was the villain she'd glimpsed earlier. His malice tinging the air with an almost palpable blood lust. Without needing to be told, Midoriko knew that this man was dangerous. More so than the grotesque creature currently crushing her teacher. _This man is truly evil,_ she thought, fear constricting her throat, making it nearly impossible to breath evenly.

As one, four pairs of eyes turned to face her, and Midoriko felt the blood drain from her face. "Ah," said the shadowed figure, rising up beside his comrade. "The little girl from before."

Bristling, Midoriko willed herself to glare back at the villains, forcibly keeping her gaze away from the barley-conscious Aizawa. She was in danger she knew. Grave danger. "No matter," replied the shadow's companion, scratching his neck furiously, making the skin peel under his nails. "She is a follower of All Might's. Kurogiri, kill her."

"Midoriko..." Her teacher groaned from under the humanoid monster, clearly having trouble forming words. "Run."

 _Too late._

In less than a heartbeat, the shadow, Kurogiri, pounced. Black mist enveloped Midoriko, dampening her jumpsuit as a pale, grubby hand reached through the wrap gate, cracked nails scratching her face as she threw herself backwards, out of slow, she told herself crossly, dodging another dark tendril.

"Stop," Aizawa ground out, grunting in pain as Midoriko launched herself at Kurogiri, pulling at the metal plates around his 'neck.' Gouging deep, jagged groves into the hard surface. It was useless, she knew. But Midoriko had never been one to back down, and how could she, when the man she - her teacher, was being tortured less than a few meters away.

Despite the futility of her actions, Midoriko's teeth elongated, lips drawing back into a feral snarl as she raced for the other villain, tackling him by the legs and pummeling his face with clawed hands. "Hm," the villain smiled up at her, dry lips cracking with the gesture. Seemingly unconcerned with his bruising face. "Not bad," he said slyly. Then it was his turn.

"Midoriko!" Aizawa growled a warning, a split second before the villain grabbed her wrist, twisting brutally as his quirk took effect. Causing an excruciating pain to radiate through Midoriko's knuckles as the skin began to crumble, scales flaking from her hands in little rivulets of blood.

Yelping, she fought desperately to free herself, raking her claws across her captor's shoulder, tearing through flesh and muscle before the shadow gripped her from behind. Immobilizing her completely.

"What will you do Eraserhead?" The pale, sickly villain taunted. "If you take away my quirk, then Kurogiri will kill her. But... if you take away his, I will personally see to it that she lives... for the most part." He grinned evilly down at Midoriko, red eyes alight with malicious pleasure.

"Let go of her!" Her teacher spat viciously, his voice breaking, betraying his concern. Midoriko had never heard Aizawa sound like that before, and had she been capable of looking over, she would have.

By now, an alarming portion of her arm was decaying, revealing the shiny muscle and bone beneath. _Weird,_ she thought numbly. Fascinated by the pale bones sticking unnaturally out of her wrist. She hadn't even felt it break.

Numbly, she could hear Aizawa frantically yelling something, his voice distant. Almost like she was underwater. _That's right,_ she reminded herself, _he doesn't talk to you anymore._

Even that humiliation felt far off now. As though she'd simply imagined the whole ordeal.

The only thing that was real, were the villain's eyes. The red showing beneath the disembodied hand, standing out from the fine wrinkles that webbed his skin. Almost catatonically, Midoriko noticed that his face was swimming before her, growing hazy around the edges as her shoulder began to tremble. The deterioration spreading swiftly over her collar bone. I'm going to die. She realized, trying to make her mouth work.

Dimly, though a haze of red, Midoriko saw the villain break eye contact, his attention diverted by something in the distance. _An explosion?_

Dropping her roughly, both villains turned away, clearly prioritizing some other threat that she couldn't see. For a few seconds, all Midoriko saw was blood oozing across the ground around her. _Mine?_ She wondered, blinking stupidly.

"Midoriko?" A voice sounded faintly to her left. Blearily, she rolled her head towards the sound, shocked to see her teacher beside her, his own blood dripping steadily down his forehead. Her chest heaved as she struggled to speak, but only a faint gargle sounded out loud. Frustrated, Midoriko closed her eyes, she'd tell him later.

"Hey! Midoriko. Look at me." Aizawa growled, his voice thin and tinged with ... fear? Was he afraid? "All Might is here. Open your eyes, and look at me."

Slowly, painfully, Midoriko did as she was bid, trying to smile at her homeroom teacher. "You.. liar. I knew..." she gasped, wincing with each word. "Knew you cared."

Aizawa's eyes widened, clearly relived despite himself. "No I don't." He lied again, voice betraying him as he rested a bloodied and broken hand over hers, running his thumb tenderly over her knuckles.


End file.
